Tuesday, May 31, 2005

1. Ok, I've been thinking about what I was going to write all day but I just came across something online that trumped it. You need to check out postsecret.blogspot.com. It is absolutely amazing - I can't even really explain it - just go see it for youreself.

2. Alright, back to our regularly scheduled program. I've been thinking a lot about Britney Spears lately. I know what you're thinking. Seriously...you're better than that, ok? Try to stay with me here. Anyway, she's got this unspeakably bad new "reality" show right? No, I haven't seen it, but I would comfortably wager a day's pay that it is, in fact, unspeakably bad. Anyway, I keep seeing this quote from her that says "Can you handle my truth?". This is such a tritely pathetic little stab at some sort of post-modern, relativist chic worldview, it makes my hair hurt. Despite the fact that, coming from her, it sounds about as philosphical as whoopie cushion, I do think it belies a certain truth about our culture. Everybody is looking for the truth. Even the ones who will tell you that there is no such thing as the truth are still looking for it on some level. They're lying to themselves and you when they say otherwise.

Sunday, May 29, 2005

I've been thinking about Rich Mullins a lot lately. I've been listening to a lot of his music and it moves me as much now as it did the first time I heard it almost 20 years ago. I saw him in concert more times than I can remember, and every time I left a little different than when I arrived. He was completely unimpressed by the music industry and how "famous" he was. He was more comfortable teaching Navajo children on a reservation how to sing Jesus loves me than he ever was on stage. It's hard to pick a favorite song because they're all great in their own way...but the one that stands out to me a little more than the rest is sort of an obscure track from his Pictures in the Sky album called "Be With You"

Everybody each and allWe're gonna die eventuallyIt's no more or less our faultsThan it is our destinySo now Lord I come to youAsking only for Your graceYou know what I've put myself throughAll those empty dreams I chased

And when my body lies in the ruinsOf the lies that nearly ruined meWill You pick up the piecesThat were pure and trueAnd breathe life into themAnd set them free?

And when You start this world overAgain from scratchWill You make me anewOut of the stuff that lasts?Stuff that's purer than gold isAnd clearer than glass could ever beCan I be with You? Can I be with You?

And everybody all and eachFrom the day that we are bornWe have to learn to walk beneathThose mercies by which we're drawnAnd now we wrestle in the darkWith these angels that we can't seeWe will move on although with scarsOh Lord, move inside of me

And when my body lies in the ruinsOf the lies that nearly runied meWill You pick up the piecesThat were pure and trueAnd breathe Your life into themAnd set them free?

And when You blast this cosmosTo kingdom comeWhen those jagged-edged mountains I love are goneWhen the sky is crossed with the tears Of a thousand falling sunsAs they crash into the sea Can I be with you? Can I be with you?

Saturday, May 28, 2005

I've been listening to this Caedmon's Call record called Share the Well. It's got some really cool stuff on it - lot's of international/world music type beats and instruments. The most interesting part of it though is how it focuses on the country of India and specifically the plight of the Dalits. The Dalits are the lowest of the Indian Caste system. They are considered "unclean" or "untouchable" by Hindu law. The name Dalit literally means "broken in pieces". You cannot imagine the horrors endured by these people for commiting no other crime than being born. Read about Ramprasad, the young Dalit who had his face doused with acid for fishing in a pond that was used by Upper Caste members of his village. Check out this link to the Dalit Freedom Network to read more about what is being done to help these people.

Alright - I got my feet wet with this blogging stuff at Xanga - I think I'm ready to move on up now. Mostly because 98% of the people who use Xanga are 15 year old girls and that's not really my target demographic, ya know what I'm sayin'? So stay tuned 'cause I'm'bouts to start raining blog posts.